Dan “KingDan” Smith in an American professional poker player and currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dan started his poker career in 2007 and his name first appeared on the live tournament circuit in 2008. It was then that the young American achieved the impressive result of a 1^st place in the HPT Verona by cashing $101,960 in the $1,500 Main Event. Dan enjoys cash games, tournaments, and Sit-n-Go’s and as of January 2013 he ranks at the number one spot in the GPI.

Dan Smith was born in 1989 in New Jersey, United States and was raised as a very competitive young man. Growing up, he loved to play chess and was an accomplished scholastic chess player. His early experiences in chess raised his confidence, and he discovered poker in his late teenage years. After high school, Dan chose to further his education at the University of Maryland, but he was already playing live tournaments and online poker. Eventually, as his game improved, he became determined to start his career as a professional poker player.

In April of 2010, Dan got a 2^nd place in a $2,500 No Limit Hold’em Event at the UK & Ireland Poker Tour, cashing $78,359. He then moved on to bagging an awesome $104,095 for a 3^rd place in a £2,000 No Limit Hold’em Event at the EPT/UK Ireland Poker Tour in October 2^nd 2011. Just 4 days after this win, on 6^th October 2011, he cashed a cool $95,967 in the £10,000 No Limit Hold’em Event at the EPT in London, securing a 4^th place. 2012 had been a successful one for Dan as he made over $1.5m within the first 5 months.

On 26^th April 2012, Dan won 1^st place in the No Limit Hold’em 6 Max Turbo at the Monte Carlo EPT Grand Finale, taking home a cash prize of $201,972. Yet again, on the 27^th of April 2012, Dan got yet another 1^st place in the €5,000 No Limit Hold’em Event at the Monte Carlo EPT Grand Finale, cashing a solid $330,724. On 30^th April 2012, Dan wrapped up the Monte Carlo Grand Finale by getting another 1^st place in the €5,000 No Limit Hold’em Event, pocketing $155,790. In June 2012, Dan cashed an amazing $368,943 as well as well as having secured a 3^rd place in the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Event at the 43^rd WSOP in Las Vegas.

Dan’s notable achievements include an amazing 1^st place in the EPT held in Barcelona on August 17^th 2012, where he banked a cash prize of $1,183,100 in the $50,000 No Limit Hold’em Super High Roller Event.

Smith’s biggest accomplishment in the game was winning the 2012 Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge in January 2012. He outmaneuvered a very strong 22-player field that included the likes of Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, Tony G and Joe Hachem to take down no less than 1^st place. Dan was finally able to pull away and win the massive $1,041,828 first place prize.

Throughout his poker career, Dan has been given a few nicknames like “King” and “KingDan23” but his most well-known nickname is “KingDan”. Although Smith currently lives in Las Vegas, he is still a diehard Yankees fan and loves to travel the world in pursuit of more poker victories.